


from the past

by Anonymous



Series: to someone who'll find me [2]
Category: Twisted-Wonderland (Video Game)
Genre: Developing Relationship, Implied Relationship, M/M, Old Wounds, fae and iron don’t mix
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-14
Updated: 2021-03-14
Packaged: 2021-03-22 03:21:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,191
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30032250
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: Malleus knew Lilia could burn. Yet when he sees the mark on Lilia’s back, he doesn’t know how to react.-Malleus discovers an old wound of Lilia’s from the past-
Relationships: Malleus Draconia/Lilia Vanrouge
Series: to someone who'll find me [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2209281
Kudos: 13
Collections: Anonymous





	from the past

Lilia was not immune to fire. Malleus knew this well. It only seemed like he was because he rarely ever let his guard down. Many times, Malleus has seen Lilia deflect flames like they wet an irritating fly, and even seen him walk through them without flinching. Because Lilia never truly let his guard down, he was always prepared. The only time Malleus knew of Lilia being burned was when he heard the story of how he had burned Lilia’s hair as an infant. It was something Lilia laughed over many times, though Malleus knew it had surprised Lilia to realize how easily a child gets passed his walls.

Malleus knew Lilia could burn. Yet when he sees the mark on Lilia’s back, he doesn’t know how to react.

He doesn’t know of its existence until he and Lilia are in their third year at Night Raven College. For as long as Malleus has known him, Lilia’s never been one to show much skin. It’s still a new thing between them, when Lilia becomes less and less concerned about changing in front of Malleus when he’s in Lilia’s room for one reason or another.

They had been discussing plans for upcoming break when Lilia turns away from him to grab a shirt from his wardrobe. That’s when Malleus spots it. 

Right away he knows it’s some kind of burn. It’s an odd shape, a unique one that can’t be a normal burn from fire.

The sight of it makes Malleus frown. “What kind of injury is that?” 

“Hm? What injury?” Lilia actually seems surprised at the question. If there’s one thing Malleus can take away from the reaction, it’s that it means it no longer hurts Lilia if his forgotten about it.

Lilia opens the wardrobe door that has a mirror hanging on it. He twists about until he sees what caught Malleus’s attention and smiles bitterly. “Ah, that. It happened a very long time ago. Unfortunately, time and spells and potions can’t heal something like this.”

“It looks like a burn, but it wasn’t done by flame,” Malleus frowns. It’s too clean, too even on the edges to be a regular burn by fire.

“It wasn’t flame.” Lilia confirms, his tone too even.

“.....it’s like a...brand.” Something dark twists in Malleus’s chest. Only one thing could mark Lilia like this. “How did iron get near you?”

Lilia looks at Malleus with a small smile. It makes Malleus bristle when he recognizes it. Its the same one Lilia would give him when Malleus was younger and would ask questions Lilia considered naive.

“Even I’m not invincible, Malleus.” Lilia steps away from the mirror and reaches for his shirt so he can finish dressing. Malleus watches as the mark is covered and how quick Lilia is to button it up. “I’ve made mistakes and miscalculations. I’ve paid for most of them. Some consequences were harsher than others. No one leaves a battle without some kind of mark, visible or otherwise.”

So he got it during one of the wars.

Because lately Lilia’s been opening up more to him,Malleus tests how much he can ask. “Did it hurt?”

Lilia’s expression darkens instantly. “.....like nothing I can describe. And everything that makes me hope you and Sebek never experience it.”

“Would iron effect him the same way?”

“Not as severely. But it can still hurt him. Any amount of pain it would bring him is already too much.”

“And myself?”

Lilia stares at him for a moment. Stepping to where Malleus is leaning against his bed post, he reaches up to press his hand to Malleus’s cheek. His thumb brushes across the skin before moving his hand down to the centre of his chest. Settling right over his heart. 

In a low voice, he says, “Don’t make me imagine what would happen if something that lethal got near you. I don’t know what I would do if you ever received this same injury.”

Malleus is almost offended at the implication in those words. “Because you think I can’t handle it?”

“Because I know you can’t.” Lilia looks back up at his, eyes narrowed dangerously. It doesn’t happen often, but once in awhile even Malleus will chance upon a landmine of Lilia’s. Something that cuts away his composure, and brings out a side he usually keeps smothered down. “You are powerful, Malleus. Amazingly so. But everyone has physical weaknesses, and this is no exception. Iron harms all of us. Even if it doesn’t kill you, it will getdry near to it.”

He steps closer, his hand moving from Malleus’s chest to his neck. Malleus knows Lilia won’t do anything, yet he’s still surprised to feel his nails grow sharp.

The irritation becomes even clearer in Lilia’s tone now. “Be proud of your abilities, but don’t get so arrogant that you think you’ll always be the exception. You know it’s dangerous to use magic recklessly. Understand it’s just as dangerous to think it will protect you from everything, my dear king. I won’t have you harmed just because you’ve gotten in your head that you can face everything thrown at you.”

He’s right, as Lilia usually is with these matters. Still, Malleus can’t help but sigh when he recognizes this.

“...I didn’t need a lecture.”

“Don’t say things that will make me give you one.” Lilia fires back. It makes it difficult to fight off a smile. Lilia was forever patient and kind. But that’s why Malleus found it interesting when that composure broke. Especially when it had to do with him.

He must have some kind of look, for Lilia’s eyes narrow once more. He lefts off the ground, flicking Malleus on the forehead. Baffled, Malleus makes a startled noise and rubs the spot.

“Lilia-!”

“And don’t make me angry simply because you know how to. You are my lord, but that doesn’t be I won’t get even when you purposely push my buttons.”

So that was true anger Lilia let slip through just now. Malleus will have to take care to steer away from this subject in the future. As badly as he wants to know everything about Lilia, he doesn’t want to bring up too many painful memories either.

Malleus reaches behind Lilia and lightly traces over the spot where the mark was hidden.

He tried to imagine what kind of object it was that could have done this. Was it a weapon or a tool? Did that person always plan to use it, or did they catch Lilia in a weak moment and grabbed the nearest thing to try and hurt him? 

Malleus wonders if that person would have still done so had a dragon been there to interfere.

Quietly, he says, “If I had been there, that person wouldn’t have survived.”

Lilia laughs, but there’s a dark edge to it. He smirk, a red glow emitting from his eyes. He takes Malleus’s hand away from that spot and brings it up to his lips. As that mouth curls into a cruel smile, he presses a kiss to Malleus’s knuckles.

“When did I say I let that person live?”


End file.
